Freely Give

Freely Give – Matthew 5:8

Love is a choice. If love is forced, is it really love? Giving is a choice. If giving is forced, is it really giving? Did Jesus ever take from someone and give it to someone else? Did he take from the rich young man and redistribute to those with less? Did Jesus command the system to take from the rich young man and redistribute? No. He told the young man to give. He wanted the young man to choose to give himself. Whether he did or not was up to the young man.

“Go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.” Matthew 19:21

Wealth is relative. The poorest in our country today are among the wealthiest who have walked the planet. There will always be people with more and people with less. Perhaps those with less are really the ones with more. Perhaps the real blessings are not tied to material possessions or $$$. Some of the most joyful people I know live on very little wealth. Some of the wealthiest people I know live with very little joy. Perhaps we are more starved of love and relationships than we are of material possessions. What relationships are built through redistribution? Those who receive from the system also receive a spirit of entitlement. Those who are taken from build resentment. Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Systematic redistribution is enforced through law. Force is not giving. It is taken. And the opportunity to be a true blessing is taken with it. When needs are met out of love rather than law, relationships are built. A greater blessing.

“Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth, but she, out of her poverty, put in everything – all she had to live on.” Mark 12:43-44

Did this widow approach Jesus expecting to be blessed? Yes, though not the material blessing most are seeking. Jesus didn’t rob her of the blessing to give. If Jesus were a promoter of systematic redistribution, this would’ve been a great time to demonstrate it. Jesus was a promoter of individuals choosing to give. This is love. How much love does it take to promote giving away other’s wealth? “I love you so much I want to give you my neighbor’s money.” Ha. Real generous.

Jesus didn’t say, “Those politicians should do something.” He told individuals to do something.  “The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them anytime you want.” Mark 14:7

Our ability to give isn’t dependent on a system of redistribution. There is no law against giving. There will always be people with more and people with less. It’s easy to see people with more than you and expect them to care for those who have less than you. This takes the responsibility off your shoulders but gives you credit for your virtue. How virtuous. It’s easy to promote giving away what other people have. Real virtue is found in not in the individual who promotes the idea of giving. Real virtue is found in the individual who actually chooses to give.

I have paid into the system and received from the system. I have freely given to others. I have received much from others who have freely given to me. Whatever blessings the system produces through law can’t compare to the blessings that come from giving out of love and receiving out of love. Our system is built on good intentions. While it provides what is important, it can’t provide what is even more important. Giving provides what is important and also what is even more important. It feeds both the body and the soul. Relationships.

Did God bless Cain and Abel equally? Is equal blessing to be desired? Is there no value in the uniqueness of the individual?

Jesus explained the kingdom of heaven in parables. “To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability.” Matthew 25:15

Were all distributed equal amounts? No. When the master returned, the three servants had turned the 8 bags into 15 bags. Did the master take the 15 bags and divide it up evenly between the three? No. What they did with what they had determined how much more would be entrusted to them.

Jesus didn’t say, “Take from the one who has and give it to the one who doesn’t have.” He said, “For whoever has will be given more. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.” Matthew 25:29

The world hates this message. Political efforts to undo it result in people with power getting more powerful while those without power continue to have freedoms taken from them. A system of leveling the playing field stacks the deck in favor of those implementing the system. If the system can take some, it can take more. How much can it take? Until it’s gone. It’s a slippery slope. I’m not opposed to government. I’m opposed to looking to the government to save us from all our problems and alleviate our responsibilities as citizens and neighbors.

The world hates this message. Because we are selfish. We hate to give. We see the problems in the world. We expect the rest of the world to fix it. Perhaps we should start with what we have rather than with what everybody else has. Jesus promoted the idea of loving your neighbor as yourself. Not relying on the system to love your neighbor for you.

“Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” John 6:9

The boy gave what he had. Though it didn’t seem like much, like it couldn’t make a difference, it ended up being more than enough. God used one boy’s generosity to feed thousands.

The poor widow gave all she had. We have more to give than she did.

God can do more through our giving than the system can do through its taking.